Being one of the influences in Josh’s life when he was a teenager, it was a shock to me when a little over a year ago Josh contacted me through Facebook asking if I was “The Turkey Guy,” a character voice I did on radio station WCSB out of Cleveland, Ohio on a show called “Brainrot Radio Theater.” Yes it was. He’s been a fan of mine for the past 23 years now.

Although I knew Josh for all this time, we never actually met face to face. He did an interview with me and my wife Joan on our podcast “The Zone with Timm McCoy“, but that also was the first time we spoke to each other since 1991. October 11 was the first show on the current “Hot and Grumpy” comedy tour and it took place at the Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minnesota just 30 minutes south of where we live in Minneapolis. The show, by the way, was way beyond funny. Josh opened the evening with uncanny impressions of Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro and his very own beloved semi-religious character, “Apostle BG.” Then came the main show with Craig that brought down the house.

Afterward, Joan and I were setting in the Fireside Lounge of the bar, when in walks right in front of us, Josh Robert Thompson. I shouted lightly for him to come over. Upon our eyes meeting, it took him two ticks to realize who I was. His face brightened up like sunshine. We hugged, his security guard said if he was going to be needed, Josh said, “They’re OK!” Due to Craig needing to be on the road for their next gig in Iowa, our time was short. We chatted about the past, took some pics and video. The picture was a very good Bobby DeNiro saying “I’m gonna break your legs.” After 23 years of being dear friends and admiring each other’s work, finally getting to meet such a wonderful man and his incredible spirit is worth more than anything in the world to me. We are, in fact, dear brothers.